Will we pick up bill for Chinese jaunt?

Dear Editor, Can I assume that I as a Birmingham ratepayer will be picking up a substantial bill for Mr Whitby and his entourage to go to China for a week and again shoot us in the foot – this time over the Metro.

Dear Editor, Can I assume that I as a Birmingham ratepayer will be picking up a substantial bill for Mr Whitby and his entourage to go to China for a week and again shoot us in the foot – this time over the Metro.

Whilst I have yet to be convinced that it can possibly cost £130 million to build a line down Broad Street, the total insanity of thinking of building a slow train to the NEC is beyond me – I thought we had stopping and fast services from New Street already serving Birmingham International with easy access to the NEC and airport.

What, however, is much more annoying is that we are washing our dirty linen in public again – how the hell do we hope to win inward investment when anyone coming in wants certainty and sure footed, well thought out policy, not this constant shooting from the holster, straight into the foot!

J,Lordswood Road,Harborne.

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Dear Editor, The Metro extension isnt going to happen, because the money people know that it just isn’t going to be a viable business proposition but a political vehicle for councillors and their political correct cronies.

The Metro was routed from Wolverhampton to Snow Hill, at a fantastic cost to embelish the credentials of Phil Bateman and co. This was always the wrong route and if it had been from Longbridge, Kings Norton, through Kings Heath, Moseley, and St Andrews junction, the Metro would have been a commercial success and not a financial liability.

ST Vaughan.

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New senate of MPs is long overdue and can help lead the way

Dear Editor, The establishment of a West Midlands Senate of MPs (Post 13th November) to oversee the plethora of central government sponsored regional and sub-regional quangos and executive agencies as well as the regional Minster is overdue and necessary. At present there is nobody which can hold all these bodies to account.However, the main job of MPs is to oversee central government and they should see their new role as much concerned with charting the future governance of our region as its workings in the short to medium term.

If there is any conclusion to be drawn from economic trauma we are are in it is that there needs to be a far more transparent and locally accountable focus for economic activity and other decision making. The new senate needs to give a lead as to the future shape of sub national government for the West Midlands Region. Land use, major infrastructure development, energy, food and water supplies, flood prevention and communications all need a regional view. Local community needs a very local response. Our local government system based on bigger is better approach is no longer fit for purpose.Large local authorities are not big enough to deal with regional issues or small enough to be in touch with local needs. The new senate can make a difference, but not if it gets bogged down in the short term decision making.